How Can I Keep My Gut Healthy?

What you eat or don’t eat can dramatically affect your gut microbiome. What is the gut microbiome and why should we worry about what we are feeding it? Each person’s intestines contain trillions of microorganisms which is referred to as the gut microbiome. It’s actually our largest immune system. “These bacteria have a very dramatic and prominent role in determining health and disease,” said Dr. David Johnson, chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Researchers have discovered that microbes of all kinds play instrumental roles in the functioning of your body. Just a few of the benefits:

Counteract inflammation and control the growth of disease-causing bacteria

Produce vitamins, absorb minerals, and eliminate toxins

Control asthma and reduce risk of allergies

Benefit your mood and mental health

Normalize your weight

Two recent studies have indicated that the more diversity in our diets, the healthier our gut microbiome is. Foods like fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, wine, yogurt and buttermilk can help with diversifying, while simple carbohydrates actually reduce diversity.

Medicines can also play a part in the makeup of the gut microbiome. Some antibiotics can kill off very important strains of gut bacteria. “One dose of an antibiotic may disrupt your gut bacteria for a year,” Johnson said.